Transocean In Spill Talks With BP

Transocean, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon, said it has held talks with BP, the rig's primary operator, at the ''CEO level'' for the last year's Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the largest oil spill in U.S. history. The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon in April 2010 led to 11 deaths.

To this point, BP and Transocean (RIG), the world's largest provider of offshore drilling services, have traded barbs over who is responsible for the spill with Transocean saying no evidence has emerged that it is negligent for the spill.

Transocean CFO Ricardo Rosa said the talks with BP (BP) have been constructive and that his company is keeping an open mind on what progress the discussions may bring, Reuters reported. Last week, Japan's Moex, which held a 10% non-operating interest in the Macondo well project, agreed to pay $1.1 billion to BP for spill damages, but Rosa said Transocean's relationship with BP is not comparable to the British oil giant's relationship with Moex.

Switzerland-based Transocean is expected to release its own report on the spill next month. Texas-based Anadarko Petroleum (APC), which held a 25% non-operating interest in Macondo, has also said it would be open to holding talks with BP as well.